The push to replace an aging bridge that’s been a bottleneck on Interstate 5 between Oregon and Washington has cleared a major hurdle. The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program announced on Wednesday the completion of its federal environmental review process. That approval will kickstart construction on the long-delayed replacement of the Interstate 5 bridge between Oregon and Washington.
The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration issued an approval known as an amended record of decision for the project. It marks the completion of the federal National Environmental Policy Act review.
“It allows us to advance to construction on anything that is covered within that environmental document,” said Interstate Bridge Replacement interim program administrator Carley Francis.
Specifically, Wednesday’s approval will allow the project to remove the existing bridges, and add an auxiliary lane, connections to Hayden Island and State Route 14, and space for light rail on the new bridge…